1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to checkout systems and, more specifically, to a self-checkout system that enables a user to scan goods and subsequently bag the goods in loading stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many register checkout stations, which have been a standard feature in grocery stores, home improvement stores, and other retailers, have been replaced by self-checkout stations. The self-checkout stations reduce expenses for the retailers while offering convenience and time savings to customers. While retailers encourage the use of these self-checkout stations, the retailers recognize the need to provide safeguards against theft and customer error.
A commonly employed safeguard used in current self-checkout stations employs the use of weight verification. For example, upon scanning a particular item/good, the customer is required to immediately place the item into a bag that is positioned on a weighed station or carousel. The actual weight of the item may be compared to a stored weight to determine if the correct item was placed in the bag. Also, if any of the items within the bag, station, or carousel are removed prior to the transaction being completed (e.g., the customer paying for the goods), the system initiates an audible or visual alarm that allows a sales associate with the retailer to immediately determine if the customer is having a problem or is attempting to take the items without paying for them. The alarm, although effective in deterring theft, also causes embarrassment to those customers that mistakenly activate the alarm.
A problem with certain of these self-checkout systems is that they have limited capacity to receive and weigh items. When a customer has more items than can be placed in the weighing station, the customer may prematurely remove the items, which cause the alarm to be initiated. The type of customer that purchases more items than can be placed in the weighing station is the “big ticket” type of customer that retailers want to encourage to return. However, this is also the same type of customer that may inadvertently remove items from the weighing station and be embarrassed by the initiation of the alarm.
To prevent such an occurrence, some current self-checkout systems include a weighed conveyor belt instead of a weighed station or carousel. This increases the transaction capacity since the goods are immediately conveyed to a larger bagging station instead of a smaller-capacity station. This type of system, however, introduces additional problems. For example, the conveyor belt takes up more floor space than a carousel or stationary weighing station. Also, the conveyor itself, with its belts, motors, etc., creates a greater initial expense and more maintenance for the retailer.